


Entertaining Possibilities

by triste



Category: Hikaru no Go
Genre: Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-22
Updated: 2012-11-22
Packaged: 2017-11-19 06:55:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/570449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/triste/pseuds/triste
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yeongha meets the parents (sequel to Shattered Illusions) .</p>
            </blockquote>





	Entertaining Possibilities

Title: Entertaining Possibilities  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Hikaru no Go  
Pairing: Yongha/Hikaru  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: Humour, fluff  
Status: Complete (sequel to Shattered Illusions)  
Disclaimer: Not mine

~~

"Remember," Hikaru said firmly. "Best behaviour."

"Of course," said Yongha. "I understand completely."

Hikaru doubted that very much, but he opened the front door and let Yongha through it anyway. His mother was waiting patiently for them, and she smiled in genuine enthusiasm when Hikaru made the introductions. There was no forced politeness on her part or even watchful wariness, but then she had spent the last month and a half anticipating Yongha's visit.

"It's so nice to finally meet you," she said warmly. "I've heard so much about you from Hikaru."

Actually she hadn't, she still got most of her information from Akari, but Hikaru decided not to mention that fact.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Yongha said, taking her left hand and kissing the back of it in a way that made Hikaru roll his eyes and his mother blush.

"My, what a charmer!" she exclaimed. "I see now why Hikaru must have fallen for you. I can't believe you're only a year apart in age! You're so much taller, not to mention more mature. And you speak Japanese so professionally. Hikaru always was terrible with foreign languages. He was the only boy in his year at middle school who scored a zero in his English exam."

"Mom, stop comparing us," Hikaru said grumpily. "And stop bringing up the past while you're at it. Yongha doesn't need to hear this stuff!"

"Not at all," said Yongha. "As a matter of fact, I would like to hear more."

"I bet you would," Hikaru muttered darkly, but he gave Yongha a nudge in the back and inclined his head towards his mother. Yongha took the hint and stepped forward, holding out the bouquet of flowers he'd insisted on purchasing on the way to Hikaru's house.

"For you," he announced, and Hikaru's mother graciously accepted his offering.

"Why, thank you," she said, obviously as surprised as she was flattered. "You're very kind."

"It's not much, but I hope you will also take this," Yongha added, handing her a small, gift-wrapped box, and she gasped upon opening it.

"I couldn't possibly take something so expensive," she protested, not even daring to touch the brooch nestled inside. "The flowers are more than enough. I appreciate your consideration, but-"

"Please," Yongha said smoothly. "I insist." He removed the brooch from its box and fastened it carefully onto her blouse. "It’s only fitting. A beautiful jewel for a beautiful lady."

Hikaru was tempted to mime the act of gagging in the background, especially when he saw his mother beginning to get the same look in her eyes all females did whenever Yongha graced them with his presence, and he wondered if there were any women out there capable of resisting him. In a way, it was almost nice of Yongha to make such an effort, but it felt more as though he'd been studying the book of 'How to Win Over Your Boyfriend's Mother in Three Easy Steps'. He'd certainly succeeded in buttering up Hikaru's with sweet words and impressive gifts in any case.

"Well," Hikaru's mother said hesitantly, "if it's really all right with you..."

"Please," Yongha repeated. "I would be unhappy if you refused it."

"Mom, just take it," Hikaru told her. "It's not like he can't afford to spare the money."

"I suppose..." His mother bowed deeply in Yongha's direction anyway, and the smile returned to her face. "You two go upstairs and get yourselves settled. I'll bring you some tea in a moment."

Hikaru sighed in relief as he led Yongha to his room. He'd been expecting the worst, but having Yongha meet his mother at last had been a surprisingly painless experience. It wouldn't stop his mother from telling the obligatory humiliating childhood stories at some point, but at least they'd managed to break the ice.

If anything, the real surprise had been Hikaru's mother allowing the two of them to sleep in the same room. They wouldn't be sharing the same bed of course, but welcoming as his mother was being towards Yongha, Hikaru had doubted she would let them share the same sleeping space, not that such a thing was really possible. Hikaru's bed was obviously just the right size for him, but it was much too small for Yongha. His mother had fretted over being rude to their guest by making him sleep on the floor in a futon, but Hikaru didn't consider it to be particularly offensive.

"Make yourself at home," he said, and Yongha did by going straight to the go board. Hikaru grinned and sat down opposite him, taking out a handful of white stones when Yongha placed two black ones and counting them out. Yongha got the first move, having predicted an even number, and they hadn't yet moved out of joseki when Hikaru's mother knocked on the door and let herself inside.

"I'll leave this here," she whispered, clearly trying not to disturb their game as she set the tray she'd been carrying beside the board. "I brought you some cake, too. Help yourselves."

"Okay, Mom," Hikaru said absently, hardly noticing when she left the room as quietly as she'd entered it.

~~

The rest of the day progressed uneventfully, and Yongha made sure to flatter Hikaru's mother even more over dinner as he complimented her on being such an excellent hostess.

"I'm not sure if my humble cooking will be to your liking," she said anxiously once she'd finished serving them both. "Please feel free to tell me if it's not appealing to you."

"I've never tasted anything better," Yongha assured her. "I also intend to ask for seconds when I've finished with my first helping."

"Stop being greedy," Hikaru chastised, but his mother shook her head.

"A healthy appetite leads to an equally healthy body. It's only natural for someone as tall as Yongha-kun to eat a lot. You should learn from him, Hikaru. Too much ramen will make you look malnourished. You won't grow if you don't eat your vegetables. Let the difference in your height serve as proof of that."

"I'm not a midget!" Hikaru said defensively. "He's just freakishly tall for an Asian person!"

"That's another sign of good health," his mother claimed. "Tall men are very desirable, you know. They carry good genes. No wonder Yongha-kun is so popular with the girls. He has such beautiful hair, too."

"You really are too kind," said Yongha modestly, but Hikaru noticed that he preened under the praise like the peacock he was.

Afterwards, when Hikaru helped wash the dishes while Yongha went back upstairs to take a bath, his mother beamed brightly in obvious approval.

"I have to confess, I was a little worried about what might happen," she said, "but he's such a lovely boy! You really picked a good one there. He's so handsome, not to mention smart and rich. It's almost a shame you were born a male. We could have discussed marriage otherwise."

"So if I'd been born a girl, you would have happily married me off to any guy with looks and money?" Hikaru asked archly.

"Yongha-kun isn't just 'any guy', is he?" his mother said. "There must be something special about him, or else the two of you wouldn't be dating."

"Not really," Hikaru shrugged. "He was an arrogant jerk when he first met, and he's still an arrogant jerk now."

"But he's so polite and attentive!"

"Only when he wants something."

"Doesn't he treat you well?"

"He's embarrassing, he never listens to me, and he only ever thinks of himself."

"But he seems like such a *nice* person..."

Hikaru sighed. Yongha really had bewitched his mother to give her that kind of impression, but then again, he supposed it was better for her to have a rosy opinion of him rather than witnessing his true colours.

"To be honest, your father was against this," his mother said, startling Hikaru momentarily with the sudden change of subject. "He wasn't happy when I told him you were seeing Yongha-kun anyway, and he wouldn't agree to let him stay at first."

"You've never mentioned this before," Hikaru said cautiously.

"I know," his mother replied. "I didn't want to give you anything to worry about. Leave your father to me. I'll make sure Yongha-kun feels welcomed here."

Hikaru continued to dwell on that when he went to take his turn in the bath once Yongha had finished, and he remained deep in thought until he walked into his bedroom. Those thoughts immediately screeched to a halt when Yongha peered over his shoulder at him from where he was sitting in front of the mirror, and Hikaru did the only thing he could upon being greeted with such a hilariously horrifying sight.

"Why are you laughing?" asked Yongha, vaguely offended.

"What are you *wearing*?" Hikaru gasped out, still snickering. "You look like some monster out of a horror movie!"

Yongha appeared even more baffled, but that just made the situation all the more amusing to Hikaru. Yongha's red pyjamas were normal enough, but the pink headband that kept his hair back and the green facemask he had on were not.

"I don't see what's so funny," frowned Yongha. "Why do you find such mirth in basic skin care? I always make an effort when it comes to taking care of my appearance, unlike you, who seems satisfied enough with soap and water."

"Nothing wrong with soap and water," shrugged Hikaru. "It gets the job done."

"And your nightwear," Yongha added, pointing an index finger at Hikaru's worn out black and white tracksuit, the one he'd been sleeping in for years. "It's so tatty."

Hikaru had to admit, it did look tatty next to Yongha's silk pyjamas, but he wasn't about to take criticism lying down, especially when it was coming from a man with a facemask. "It's comfortable," he said defensively. "It's proof that you don't have to spend a lot of cash to feel cosy when you're lying in bed."

"It's proof of a poor person's lifestyle," smirked Yongha.

"It's proof that I understand the true value of money," Hikaru maintained. "I make my belongings last. I also don't waste my earnings on stupid things that I don't actually need."

"I suppose you have a point," said Yongha. "I could have bought some less expensive sleep wear when I won't be wearing it much. After all, I usually sleep naked."

"Yes, I know," sighed Hikaru. "I feel sorry for your hired help. It must be a pain to clean satin sheets."

"It is when they're stained with bodily fluids."

"Don't talk about stuff like that in my parents' house! Besides, sex is a messy business!"

"Exactly. I wasn't complaining. I never complain when it comes to sex."

"That's because you're a pervert."

"And you're even noisier in bed than you are out of it. Again, I'm not complaining."

Hikaru had only just started yelling at Yongha when his mother called up the stairs. "Hikaru, what are you making such a commotion about? Your father is home. He wants to meet Yongha-kun."

"Tell him we'll be down in a minute!" Hikaru shouted back, panicking as he turned to Yongha. "Take that gunk off your face!" he hissed. "If my dad catches you looking like that -"

But the door handle had already begun to turn before he could finish his sentence, and the temperature in the room seemed to drop by a good ten degrees when Hikaru's father peered inside and clapped eyes on Yongha. "Oh," he said curtly. "Hello."

"Hello," said Yongha, and Hikaru had to hate him a little for not being bothered at all by such a painfully awkward situation when he himself was dying of humiliation.

"Um," he said, wondering if his father and his boyfriend could have met under any worse circumstance. "Dad, this is Yongha. Yongha, this is Dad."

"It's a pleasure," his father said, his tone civil, but his expression full of suspicion and dislike. "Hikaru, I'm going back downstairs now. There's something I need to discuss with your mother."

He closed the door behind him as he left. A few seconds later, Yongha broke the silence.

"That went well."

If Hikaru had been lacking in self-control he would have strangled Yongha with his own pyjamas, but instead he merely slumped his shoulders and sighed. "You stay here and finish your beauty routine," he ordered. "I'll go downstairs to eavesdrop."

He wasn't at all surprised to find the kitchen door tightly shut when he left his bedroom, but he could just about hear the muffled sound of his parents' voices when he pressed his ear against it. They were arguing, but they were also being careful to control the volume of their voices. He would have felt guilty for listening in on them any other time, but this was important. He had to know what his father was saying.

"Stop making a fuss," he heard his mother say. "It's bad manners to talk ill of someone behind their back."

"It's my house and I'll talk however I like in it," his father replied irritably. "It's bad enough Hikaru isn't dating a girl, but for him to be seeing someone like *that*..."

"He's an adult," his mother said. "He's old enough to make his own decisions now. Why should it matter that he's dating another boy?"

"He's more than just another boy!" his father snapped. "He's Korean!"

"That's racist and you know it, dear," his mother said briskly.

"All right then, he's peculiar."

"So is Hikaru. He always has been."

'Mom,' Hikaru thought despairingly, appreciating how she was standing up for him, but wishing she could have done it in some other way, 'that's not what brought us together. Don't talk about us like we're some sort of circus freak show double act.'

"It's probably a phase, this homosexuality business," his father went on. "He'll grow out of it soon enough."

"That's what you said about his go," his mother countered, and Hikaru nearly grinned when he heard his father's reluctant grunt. "You're determined to dislike Yongha-kun without giving him a chance, aren't you? That's unfair. He's a very upstanding young man."

'No, Mom,' Hikaru told her silently. 'He's just a horny idiot.'

"He seems like any other hormonal self-obsessed teenager to me," his father muttered, and Hikaru marvelled over how quickly he'd gotten the measure of Yongha with that one glance.

"But he's very wealthy," his mother said. "Isn't that good? It shows that he can support Hikaru properly."

"I'm Hikaru's father, not his pimp! My son isn't something that can be bought with money! You'd do well to inform that to the Korean."

"Don't be so rude. Yongha-kun isn't trying to buy Hikaru at all, and you're being hypocritical. You wouldn't disagree like this if we were arranging Hikaru a marriage with a well to do young woman. On the contrary, you'd be encouraging it."

"That's different! Marrying him into a more prestigious family is the normal thing to do!"

"And letting him be with the man he loves isn't? Hikaru's happiness is what's most important, or have you forgotten that?"

Hikaru decided to push the door open before his father could respond, and both his parents gave a guilty start when he made his appearance.

"Oh, Hikaru," his mother said, flustered. "I was just about to get your father's dinner ready. I'll make you some tea and you can take it to Yongha-kun, okay?"

Hikaru nodded, recognising the method she used to deal with stress. She almost always handled tense situations by making vast quantities of tea to give herself something to do and keep the conversation flowing, and he waited patiently as she flitted about the kitchen. His father chose the daily newspaper as his distraction, and Hikaru was relieved he'd brought the argument to an early end.

"Here you go." His mother placed two cups on a tray and passed it over to him. "Watch television with Yongha-kun for a while. I'll bring you more tea later."

True to her word, she did. Hikaru was sure his bladder would burst if she forced any more tea down his throat, but he didn't want to hurt her feelings by telling her to stop, not after he'd heard her defending him and Yongha so passionately. Yongha was less discreet about having to drink so much tea, and Hikaru stayed silent when his father muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, "He'd better not be doing anything indecent in my bathroom," under his breath when Yongha excused himself for the third time in under an hour.

Later, when Hikaru had sent Yongha upstairs ahead of him, he took their empty cups back to his mother, who was standing at the sink up to her elbows in soapsuds. She thanked him and returned to her task, but Hikaru hovered by her side uncertainly.

"Sorry for causing so much trouble," he said.

"Don't be silly," she said, washing the last two objects he'd brought her before draining the sink and drying her hands. "I was the one who suggested this meeting in the first place. I'm glad you brought Yongha-kun home."

"But Dad..."

"He's just being childish. It's moments like this when I realise where you got your stubborn streak from." His mother hung the towel back on its hook with a sigh. "I had to fight with him to let Yongha-kun sleep in the same room as you. Your father wouldn't allow it initially, but I got my way in the end. You and Yongha-kun live so far apart, and I know you don't get to see each other as often as you'd like. That's why the two of you should spend as much time together as you can while he's in the country."

It hadn't been until Hikaru's first participation in the Hokuto Cup that he'd begun to really appreciate his mother, and he was more grateful than ever that he had a parent like her. There was a lot she didn't understand about him and what he did for a living, but she still accepted him for what he was. Even now, she was trying so hard to make him happy and content, despite his happiness coming at her own cost by causing a rift between her and his father. He exasperated and baffled her sometimes, but she always smiled for him. She always wanted the best for him, and that was what led Hikaru to do something he hadn't done in years by leaning down and hugging her.

"Thanks, Mom," he said softly. "You're the greatest."

She looked startled by his uncharacteristic display of affection when he released her, but then she smiled warmly and patted him on the arm. "You go back upstairs," she told him. "I'll bring you some more tea."

Hikaru winced. Anymore of the stuff and he'd probably explode.

~~

"I think your father hates me," Yongha commented as Hikaru put the go board away later that night.

"I know he hates you," said Hikaru, waiting until Yongha was settled in his futon before turning off the light. "Try not to take it personally."

"I'm used to being hated," said Yongha. "It's only natural for other people to be jealous of my talent and appearance. I don't blame your father for feeling threatened by my existence. It's sad that he displays hostility towards me, but it probably can't be helped. Such is the consequence of being an alpha male."

"Right," Hikaru said sceptically getting into his own bed and wondering if Yongha's opinion of himself could get any higher. "So you'd be a wolf in the animal kingdom, would you? Or maybe a lion. You'd laze around and let your harem do all the work."

"Yes," Yongha agreed. "A harem would be nice."

"Thank God there's only one of me. You'd be even more perverted if I'd been born as quintuplets."

"I like to entertain possibilities. They make for interesting fantasies."

"Don't fantasise!" Hikaru was still grumbling under his breath about twisted, lecherous men who only ever showed signs of intelligence when they were busy laying stones on a 19x19 grid when he felt the mattress creak under Yongha's weight. "Hey, what are you doing? I put the futon out for a reason, you know! If my parents walk in-"

"You shouldn't be so uptight," said Yongha, attempting to make himself comfortable. "Tempting as the idea may be, I won't molest you while your mother and father are sleeping down the hallway."

"Thank you very much," Hikaru said sarcastically, too occupied with fighting over space to give an appropriately witty retort. His narrow single bed was definitely not big enough to fit two people in properly, especially when one of them was more than six feet tall. Yongha had to shift onto his side and draw one of his long legs up between Hikaru's and hook the other over his hip to stop them from dangling off the end of the mattress, and that left Hikaru squashed between the wall and Yongha's body. "You're going to wake up with back ache in the morning," he warned.

"Then you can give me a massage and make it better," replied Yongha.

"Only if it's an amateur shiatsu massage with my mom's hair pins."

"The way you resist really turns me on."

"A slight breeze could turn *you* on. Your default setting when they rolled you off the conveyor belt at the pervert factory was constantly aroused."

"I notice you don't usually refuse my advances. You deny it and insult me, but you nearly always give in to me eventually."

"That's because..." Hikaru trailed off awkwardly. "It's because you're so annoying and persistent."

"Believe whatever you want," Yongha said in amusement. "I know better. Some people like cat ears; others have a fetish for glasses. I personally like the ones who put up a front and blow hot and cold. I find that very appealing."

"I am not a tsundere," Hikaru muttered. "While you're at it, stop stereotyping my country's citizens."

"And who is the person who never even knew that professional go players existed in Korea until four years ago?"

"That was just me being ignorant. I never said the people where you come from could be neatly categorised into little niches."

"I never categorised anyone. I am making an honest effort to research Japan's culture and terminology."

"By learning geek speak via the honoured medium of anime? If you're going to study something native, take a good look at Shuusaku's kifu. I'll bring you to the Institute with me in the morning, so do it then. You can entertain yourself for a few hours until I'm finished with my match, can't you? And don't do anything to embarrass me, otherwise I'll never forgive you."

~~

As Hikaru had promised, he brought Yongha with him to the Go Institute the next day, and he found himself feeling more than a little frightened by the crowd that was gathered in front of the building. They immediately swarmed around Yongha the second they caught sight of him but, rather than being intimidated by them as Hikaru had been, Yongha simply smiled and waved like a king to his loyal subjects. They were so intent upon the presence of their idol that Hikaru was easily able to sneak around them and escape to the security of the front lobby, where Waya and Isumi were waiting for him.

"Now that's what I call scary," said Waya, offering Hikaru a sympathetic glance before turning his attention back to the crowd outside. "Never underestimate the power of obsessive fans and modern technology."

"What does technology have to do with anything?" asked Hikaru.

"There were only a handful of girls when I turned up earlier," Waya explained. "But since then they've been calling all their friends and sending messages on their cell phones, and that's how their numbers multiplied in such a short time. Honestly, they're like microbes."

"But I never told anyone else that I'd be bringing Yongha here," Hikaru protested. "I didn't even call the head of the pro committee. It's not as if guests need permission to visit."

"You were probably spotted on the way here. It only takes one woman to alert the rest of her friends, and then those friends call their friends, and... Well, you get the picture." Waya scowled in distaste. "Why do they treat that guy like such a celebrity anyway? Just because he has funny eyelashes. I bet they don't even know the first thing about go."

"You should hear what's been going on upstairs," said Isumi. "I spoke with Kosemura-san in the publishing department, and he says the phones have been ringing almost non-stop. People keep calling to verify whether Ko Yongha is really here."

"See?" huffed Waya. "Go means nothing to these girls. They only want a glimpse of their idol. I know the game got a lot more exposure after the Hokuto Cup, but really."

"That's not entirely fair. At least they're being polite when they call. They've been asking very nicely if they're through to the Go Moku Narabe Institute and if 'Yongha-sama' is there. Then again, some of them seemed to think that they were calling the Institute of Othello."

"Othello?" Waya shook his head in disbelief. "Do they realise what it is that made this guy so famous in the first place? Still," he added, casting another glance at the outside mob, "if it's like this every day for him back in Korea, I might actually start feeling sorry for him."

"Don't," said Hikaru. "He enjoys it. He needs the adoration, or else he'd probably wither up and die."

"Why is he so popular anyway? I guess you have the excuse of being attracted to him for his go playing abilities, but why does he appeal to those girls? Are they really fawning over him because of looks alone? He's not *that* handsome."

"He does have a lot of charisma," Isumi said reasonably.

"Maybe it's a type thing?" Waya suggested. "All girls seem to have their favourite. Like, there's you, Isumi-san, who could probably be considered as the polite, well-mannered boy next-door type. You appeal to everyone, but older women in particular, whereas I'm the more casual and outgoing type. I'd probably bag the girls who are middle and high school age, whereas Ochi is for people with special needs."

"Special needs?"

"In other words, weirdoes."

"That wasn't very kind," Isumi chided, but it didn't stop Waya from snickering evilly.

"And then we have Shindou," he continued, pointing an index finger in Hikaru's direction, "who could be the main guy in a BL game, the one who's clueless and unconditionally popular with males of all ages."

"Stop comparing us to characters in a dating sim," said Isumi reproachfully.

"More like, how do you *know* all this stuff?" Hikaru asked suspiciously.

"You won't live a fun life if you're always stressing out about the little details," breezed Waya. "But seriously, Shindou, why do *you* find him appealing? Didn't he piss you off royally the first time you met by insulting Shuusaku? Okay, so it was a translation error and he wasn't really looking down on history's strongest player, but he deliberately went out of his way to antagonise you instead of clearing things up. That's really immature." Then his expression turned worried. "Wait, he didn't trick you into having sex, did he? You can be pretty dumb about some things."

"I'm not so stupid that I can't figure out when someone is trying to seduce me," Hikaru said wryly.

"Then why?" pressed Waya, genuinely confused. "Does he undergo a 180 degree personality change when he's away from other people?"

"No, he's exactly the same in private as he is in public.”

"Are you *sure* he didn't trick you somehow? If he really is forcing you into anything, I'll beat him up for you. Nobody is allowed to mess with my friends. I punched Mashiba-san at the Wakajishisen for insulting Isumi-san. Remember? Man, that was great. There's something about smacking arrogant people in the face that makes you feel really good."

"You can't solve everything with your fists. Besides, as much as I appreciate your consideration, Yongha used to practise martial arts until he decided to concentrate solely on his go. It was the same for Suyon."

"That's understandable." Isumi sounded relieved to be straying away from the topic of violence. "It's difficult to focus on two things at once. It's why a lot of younger players decide not to finish their education when they turn pro."

"I'm guessing that's the case for Suyon, but Yongha just hit puberty and fell in love with his own reflection." Hikaru shrugged his shoulders in dismissal. "Anyway, you wouldn't want to pick a fight with that guy. He might act like he's missing a brain sometimes, but he could still kick your ass on or off the go board."

"Whose side are you on?" scowled Waya, but Hikaru was saved from having to offer a response when Yongha finally put in an appearance.

"You took your time," said Hikaru. "What were you doing out there?"

"Japanese women are surprisingly persistent," said Yongha, completely unruffled by the fact that he'd spent the last fifteen minutes being mobbed by hormonal females. "Even so, it would have been rude of me to brush them off."

"You've never worried about being rude before," Hikaru muttered, and then raised his voice. "Well? Have you had your fill of signing autographs and having your picture taken for now?"

"They were also asking a lot of questions. You should have stayed. Some of the girls wanted to take photographs of us together in suggestive poses."

"Shouldn't they be somewhere more important, like school?"

"That's why they left so early. They were disappointed about it, but they seemed to be content with a goodbye kiss."

"Oh?" Yongha appeared oblivious to the sudden frostiness of Hikaru's tone, but Isumi and Waya wisely recognised the danger signs and stayed quiet. "You were kissing them?"

"On the cheek," Yongha elaborated. "Although a couple were more brazen and requested a kiss on the lips. It would have been ungentlemanly of me not to oblige."

"I see." Hikaru turned his back, and that was when Yongha realised something wasn't right.

"You're upset," he observed, clearly confused.

"I'm fine," said Hikaru.

"Now you're lying," said Yongha. "You really are upset."

"I am not upset!" Hikaru bellowed, casting a glare over his shoulder at Yongha before storming off towards the elevator.

"He's upset," Waya and Isumi whispered in unison, scuttling away meekly when Yongha shot them a glare of his own.

~~

Hikaru won his game that day, but the biggest factor in his victory was probably his intimidated opponent who had taken one look at his face and very nearly resigned on the spot. It didn't make Hikaru feel better. It only served to darken his already bad mood, especially with Yongha trailing along behind him with the knowledge that he was angry but not quite understanding why.

Yongha didn't say a word during the train journey. He only spoke when Hikaru's mother greeted them upon their arrival back home, and she immediately picked up on the tension between them.

"You two haven't been fighting, have you?" she asked anxiously. "I'm sorry," she added to Yongha, giving him an small bow. "I know Hikaru isn't the easiest person to get along with sometimes."

"That's all right," said Yongha. "It was my fault. I should be the one to apologise."

"You don't even know what you're apologising *for*," said Hikaru, causing his mother to frown.

"Honestly," she said. "If there's a problem, then you should work it out like responsible adults."

"He started it," Hikaru grumbled.

"You're not a child anymore, so stop acting like one," his mother told him. "Sulking doesn't solve anything." But Hikaru continued to ignore Yongha pointedly, and she gave a weary sigh. "Well, suit yourself. I'll be going out for the rest of the afternoon, so can I at least count on you to watch the house while I'm away?"

She was still concerned about them when she left, but Hikaru simply trudged upstairs while Yongha followed. They sat on opposite sides of the room, with Yongha sensibly keeping his distance, and they remained like that until Hikaru eventually saw fit to open his mouth.

"You're an idiot," he said. "You don't get why I'm so mad."

"Humans generally display anger and aggression for a reason," replied Yongha. "Although, I don't actually see what, exactly is making me look foolish in your eyes."

"That's just it," Hikaru informed him. "You should pay more attention to other people and what they're feeling. But," he added quietly, "I guess it's something I'm also guilty of. How would you feel if I went around kissing someone else? No, forget it. You couldn't possibly understand the concept of jealousy, not with your ego."

"I understand that you belittle me to hide your insecurity," said Yongha. "You should be more truthful. You talk about me possessing overabundant confidence, but there are occasions when you, yourself, are lacking in it."

He wasn't taunting Hikaru he was merely speaking his mind. Hikaru couldn't even bring himself to argue, because he knew Yongha was right.

"Okay," he said. "Let me tell you a story. There's some meaning to it, so listen carefully. Once upon a time, a boy met a man. They didn't really like each other than much at first, but they soon managed to put aside their differences and become friends. They were always together after all, so it would have been troublesome if they hadn't learned to accept each other's good and bad parts. For a while, life was great. The man taught the boy lots of things, and the boy grew up to be a better person as a result, but as time passed by, something changed. The boy was too young and too self absorbed to realise it, but he was hurting the man's feelings with his selfishness. He only thought about himself and what he wanted, and he didn't even try to understand the man's pain and sadness.

"They began to argue a lot after that. The boy resented the man for being so demanding, and the man was angry with the boy for being so inconsiderate. One day, the man tries to tell the boy that he would have to leave, but the boy wouldn't listen. He didn't believe that he would really go away, but when the man actually did disappear without even saying goodbye, the boy was heartbroken. He went on a journey to search for the man, but couldn't find him anywhere.

"In the end, the boy gave up the one thing he loved most in the world because he thought it would bring the man back, but he never came. The boy didn't want to be alone, but he eventually picked up the pieces of his life and began to move on. Then, when he least expected it, he saw the man again. There was so much he wanted to say, like how sorry he was, and how much he loved and missed the man, but the words just wouldn't come. Although they couldn't be together anymore, the man gave the boy a gift before they parted, and the boy swore to treasure it and remember him. The man's story ended there, but the boy's story continued. It's still continuing even now."

And with that, Hikaru cleared his throat.

"I guess the moral here is not to take anything for granted, because you never know when you might lose it. And don't ask any questions. I won't bother answering them."

"You," said Yongha, "are truly strange. But thank you for the story."

"You're welcome," said Hikaru.

"And I apologise once again for my behaviour."

"I don't think anything has been properly cleared up, but I'll accept your apology regardless."

"Good." Yongha hesitated. "May I sit next to you now?"

Hikaru relented, and beckoned Yongha closer. "Get over here, idiot."

It took a little manoeuvring, but Yongha was able to stretch out comfortably on his side and lay his head in Hikaru's lap. Hikaru's fingers wandered to Yongha's hair and began to stroke it gently, the repetitive motion of it strangely calming. Yongha certainly seemed to be enjoying it, because he sighed in contentment and closed his eyes.

"You and I are very different, you know," said Yongha.

"I know," said Hikaru. "You're obnoxious and perverted, while I'm weird and ambiguous. We speak the same language now, but we don't always understand each other."

"We've come a long way compared to how we were," Yongha pointed out.

"Yeah," Hikaru concurred. "Back then, your knowledge of Japanese consisted of a few random phrases from a tourist guidebook. 'Hello. Please. Touya-sensei very good. Japan weak. Shuusaku weak. Okay. Thank you for the game. Goodbye,' was about the most you could manage in those days. Oh, and the unforgettable chat-up line you used on me. 'I like you, let's sleep together,' isn't the best way to get a person into bed."

"Yes, you slapped me when I said that."

"Anyone would have done. I thought you were making fun of me."

"I was being just as serious as when I asked why you played go. 'To connect the distant past and the far future,' you said. I wanted to know the meaning of those words, so I began to chase after you."

"Stalk me, more like," Hikaru corrected, but he couldn't help smiling slightly. "You really are annoying and persistent. No wonder I couldn't find an answer when Waya and my mom wanted to know why I let myself fall for you. And don't say it's because you're such a wonderful lover. I'll admit you're not so bad, but that's beside the point."

"If it's not about the go or the sex, then why?" asked Yongha.

"They're part of the package, but they're not everything," Hikaru told him. "It's because you're you, arrogant and insufferable as you can be sometimes. It's because you exist and you're alive."

"Of course I am," said Yongha. "When choosing a partner, a person with a pulse is a must. That is fundamental. Even I frown upon - how would Suyon put it - corpse buggering, and I believe in trying everything at least once."

"Being in love with a dead guy would be too outrageous for you, huh?"

"I have a living one right here that I'm quite satisfied with."

"Well, I that's a definite step up from 'I like you, let's sleep together.' I guess I should reward you now. You know, the way you'd give a dog a treat because it's learned to stop chewing on the furniture or something." Hikaru put an index finger to Yongha's lips before he could speak. "Don't say anything, or I'll change my mind. My mom is going to be out for the next couple of hours. We have the house to ourselves. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Yes," Yongha replied promptly. "Let's do it in your parents' bed."

Hikaru's fan was much too precious to be used as a tool to smack some sense into Yongha's head, and he wondered if he ought to get himself a cheaper paper version like Yashiro's to accomplish the job instead, but Yongha had already turned over and was deftly unbuttoning the fly of Hikaru's jeans. Hikaru swallowed his protests and allowed Yongha to tug him down onto the floor, but not before he casting one last glance out the window and up at the sky above.

'Wherever you are now, Sai, you'd better not be watching this...'

 

End.


End file.
